The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has issued a formal apology following widespread criticism for its failure to support Hamdan Ballal, the detained Palestinian Oscar winner. This apology comes after nearly 700 voting members, including numerous A-list actors, signed an open letter expressing regret for not directly acknowledging Ballal and his award-winning film.
Hamdan Ballal, who directed the acclaimed documentary No Other Land and secured an Academy Award earlier this year, faced a brutal attack in the West Bank village of Susiya. Reports indicate that he was assaulted by a group of Israeli settlers and at least two soldiers. Following the attack, Ballal was left bleeding, handcuffed, and blindfolded. His documentary focuses on the struggle of Palestinians in the West Bank as they fight against the demolition of their villages by the army. He was subsequently taken to a military base, where he was held in custody for one night before being released the next day. Ballal asserted, “It was a revenge for our movie.”
On Wednesday, Yuval Abraham, co-director of No Other Land, took to X to express disappointment in the Academy's response. He noted that the organization, which oversees the Oscars, “sadly, declined to publicly support Hamdan Ballal while he was beaten and tortured by Israeli soldiers and settlers.” Despite several members from the Academy, particularly from the documentary branch, advocating for a public statement, their efforts were ultimately dismissed. The rationale provided was that since other Palestinians were also affected during the settler attack, the incident could be deemed unrelated to the film.
After significant backlash, the Academy released a new statement on Friday, which explicitly condemned the “brutal assault and unlawful detention” of Ballal. The statement emphasized, “We sincerely apologize to Mr. Ballal and all artists who felt unsupported by our previous statement. We want to make it clear that the Academy condemns violence of this kind anywhere in the world.” The Academy further expressed its abhorrence for the suppression of free speech and remarked on the inconsistency of recognizing a film with an award in March while failing to defend its filmmaker shortly thereafter.
The open letter, which called for accountability, garnered support from numerous high-profile actors, including Mark Ruffalo, Olivia Colman, Emma Thompson, Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Joaquin Phoenix, and Penelope Cruz. The letter highlighted that the targeting of Ballal is not just a personal attack, but an assault on all those who dare to tell uncomfortable truths through their art. The Academy pledged to continue monitoring the safety of the film team, recognizing that winning an Oscar has put their lives at greater risk.
This incident sheds light on the escalating violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers and soldiers against Palestinians in the West Bank, particularly following the onset of the Gaza war on October 7, 2023. The conflict has intensified amid threats from Israel's far-right government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to annex occupied Palestinian territories—a goal that may find support from the current U.S. administration. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Israeli settlers and state forces have killed at least 870 Palestinians, including 177 children, in attacks across the West Bank since the beginning of the latest Gaza conflict.
